Vantage point




Wednesday, August 09, 2006

News Channels and Milan Subway

On any extremely rainy day in Mumbai, all news channels will send reporters to the Milan Subway in Vile Parle. They will stand there with the subway in the background and say "Jee haan, Ashutosh, Milan subway mein kaafi paani bhar chuka hai aur yahan se vaahano ka aana jaana namumkin ho gaya hai" or some such shit. Then they will add "Vaise thodi bhi baarish ho jaaye toh iss subway mein paani bhar jaata hai".

Now the second line shows that like any Mumbaikar, they know that Milan Subway floods if someone as much as spits in it. Then what is the point of focusing on it if you want to tell the viewers how intense the deluge is? Or on King's Circle? Or Lower Parel? Instead go to a place which does not usually get flooded. If there is knee-deep water even at such a place, then you are successfully conveying that yes, it is raining rather hard.

The next time I see a squeaky-voiced reporter telling me that the Milan Subway is flooded, I might just be tempted to drown her in that very water.